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Farmington City Council to consider crematory at animal shelter, discuss project progress

By Greg Yee The Daily Times

Updated:
06/24/2013 12:56:32 PM MDT

At right, General Services Director for the City of Farmington, Julie Baird answers questions for, from left, Tonya Stinson, Kerwin Gober and State Rep. Tom Taylor after a tour, Friday, June 14, 2013, of the Farmington Regional Animal Shelter in Farmington. (Jon Austria/The Daily Times)

Farmington — On Tuesday evening, the city council will discuss whether to include a $50,000 crematory at the Farmington Regional Animal Shelter.

A presentation by City Manager Rob Mayes includes the crematory as well as a funding agreement with San Juan County, a contract agreement with the county and a report on the project's evolution since planning and discussion began in 2008.

The original project's plans did not include a crematory, Mayes said in a phone interview Friday afternoon.

"However, our new (Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs) director in close consultation with the Animal Services Advisory Commission has recommended to me that we include a crematory," he said. "It's a much more humane process of dealing with (euthanized) animals."

The city currently takes euthanized animals to the landfill, Mayes said.

"It's a long-standing process that we feel is less than dignified," he said.

In addition to being more humane, the crematory will pay for itself in two years, Mayes said. City council will also consider final approval of a cost-sharing agreement for the $4.6 million shelter project with San Juan County, he said. The county's share would be $650,000.

Mayor Tommy Roberts said he is pleased with progress on the shelter project.

"I feel that we're going to have a facility that will be functional in all the ways that the animal welfare activists hoped it would be," he said. "In my opinion, it's been a well-managed project. I have every reason to believe that we'll be pleased with the finished project."

Greg Yee covers government for The Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4606 and gyee@daily-times.com. Follow him @GYeeDT on Twitter.

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